10 Famous Actors Who Tried To Direct Movies (And Failed)

History is filled with artists who mastered more than one medium. Michelangelo sculpted David and painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Leonardo Da Vinci painted The Last Supper and conceptualised the machinery of the future. And thus is the case for some modern-day actors who have also became extraordinary directors - early greats like Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles, later legends like Clint Eastwood, and contemporary talents like Ben Affleck. But just because an actor experiences success in front of the camera and is allowed the financial means to direct a movie doesn't mean he or she has the aptitude to be a fully-fledged filmmaker. Hollywood is filled with actors who tried and failed to be directors. Whether it was because the actors couldn't handle multiple jobs, were too indulgent, or simply didn't have great material to work with, the following 10 actors-turned-directors are the reason producers would often rather hire an average veteran director than entrust an inexperienced with the job...

10. Sonny - Nicolas Cage

Since Nicolas Cage's acting ability has been ridiculed by many for at least a decade, it's no surprise that at one point he tried to go behind the camera instead. But Cage actually attempted directing before it became popular to rip on his acting. Cage directed, produced, and had a small acting role in Sonny, a crime-drama that was released in 2002, the same year that he appeared in one of his last acclaimed roles, Adaptation. Sonny starred a young James Franco as a gigolo who is pimped out by his mother, so it wasn't exactly the type of material that most audiences go to the movies for in the first place. Though Cage only has a supporting role in the movie, that doesn't mean that having most of his on directing helped the movie at all. The film was not only bashed by critics (amounting to a 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences didn't even have much of a chance to see it  Sonny was released in only six U.S. theaters for one week and grossed only $30,000. It appears that Cage inherited none of the Coppola family's directing talent.

Chris McKittrick is a published author of fiction and non-fiction and has spoken about film and comic books at conferences across the United States. In addition to his work at WhatCulture!, he is a regular contributor to CreativeScreenwriting.com, MovieBuzzers.com, and DailyActor.com, a website focused on acting in all media. For more information, visit his website at http://www.chrismckit.com.

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